Plans for latest Downtown Allentown restaurant revealed

The owners of Downtown Allentown’s newest restaurant unveiled their plans today across from the arena under construction at PPL Center. The new restaurant, still unnamed, would be in a three-story building under renovation at 732 Hamilton St.

Don and Diane Saylor, former long-time owners of the landmark Allentown restaurant The Shanty, said they will open a restaurant and lounge in City Center Lehigh Valley, a major mixed-use development in Downtown Allentown in September.

The Saylors, who operated The Shanty from 1976-2005, will own and operate the new restaurant and lounge. The restaurant will seat about 100 people for lunch and dinner and serve contemporary American cuisine and cocktails in a 1920s-style setting.

The back of the restaurant will include a lounge that seats up to 30 people for cocktails. Guests will be able to enter the lounge from the restaurant or from the back of the building through an entrance on Maple Street. An open kitchen will separate the restaurant and lounge.

City Center has been restoring the 19th century three-story building for several months to accommodate a restaurant. Working with the Saylors’ concept, City Center has removed portions of the second floor to create a mezzanine for seating that overlooks the first floor, which will offer live music several nights per week. The restaurant will feature a three-story entrance as well as brick walls, exposed wooden beams and tin ceilings.

“We love Allentown and are so excited to launch a new restaurant downtown and play a role in the revitalization of our city,” Don Saylor said. “City Center showed us several potential spaces, but we fell in love with this great, restored building right across from the arena.

“The location is unbeatable, and there will be a huge surge of office workers, hotel guests, arena visitors and apartment residents to serve. We can’t wait to reconnect with our former customers and get to know our new ones.”

Share This Story On:

Brian Pedersen

Reporter Brian Pedersen covers construction, development, warehousing and real estate and keeps you up to date on the changing landscape of our community. He can be reached at brianp@lvb.com or 610-807-9619, ext. 4108. Follow him on Twitter @BrianLehigh and read his blog, “Can You Dig It,” at http://www.lvb.com/section/can-you-dig-it.

Leave a Comment

Your Name:Validation:Comment:

Please note: All comments will be reviewed and may take up to 24 hours to appear on the site.